Christoffer Boe (born 1974) is a Danish film director and screenwriter. His awards include the FIPRESCI Director of the Year at San Sebastián International Film Festival and the Golden Camera at Cannes Film Festival in 2003. He is also co-founder and director of the film production company AlphaVille Pictures Copenhagen.

Christoffer Boe
Born (1974-05-07) 7 May 1974 (age 50)
Rungsted Kyst, Denmark
Other namesChristoffer Boes
AwardsGolden Camera at Cannes Film Festival
2003 Reconstruction
FIPRESCI Director of the Year at San Sebastián International Film Festival
2003 Reconstruction
Grand Prix at Sofia International Film Festival
2004 Reconstruction
Young Cinema Award at Venice Film Festival
2006 Offscreen

Early life and education

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Boe was born in Rungsted just north of Copenhagen, Denmark. After school in Denmark, he went to study the history of cinematography in Indiana University in Bloomington, United States. Then, he continued his studies in Copenhagen University. In 1997 he decided to go deep into movie making and was accepted at the National Film School of Denmark director's course. There, Boe developed a style of movie making and playing with narrative structure.

During that time, he directed a trilogy of short films: Obsession (1999), Virginity (2000) and Anxiety (2001). They were 20 to 30 minutes long and starred Maria Bonnevie and Nikolaj Lie Kaas. They're all basically about a young male being obsessed by a beautiful woman and then being trapped in his own logic of what love is.[1] "Anxiety" received the Prix Decouverte de la Critique Francais and was screened in Critic's Week in 2002.

He graduated from the National Film School of Denmark in 2001.[2][3]

Career

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In 2001, he made 6 episodes (each 10 minutes) of TV series Kissmeyer Basics.

In 2004, he shot a short film Europe Does Not Exist as part of Visions of Europe with Cecilie Thomsen and Henning Moritzen representing Denmark in this Europe Union media project.

His fourth feature film– the thriller Everything will be Fine was selected for Quinzaine des Réalisateurs (Directors' Fortnight), marking the third Danish film to be selected for 2010 Cannes International Film Festival.[4]

Hr. Boe & Co.

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After graduating from film school, Boe became the head of the Hr. Boe & Co. consisting of a group of filmmakers who gathered together because of a mutual adoration for the perfect frame while studying at the National Film School of Denmark. In spite of the fact that their debut (Anxiety in 2001) occurred while studying for final exams, their first feature film Reconstruction was released in 2003 and was the team's first actual collaborative work. Boe was so satisfied with Maria Bonnevie and Nikolaj Lie Kaas playing in his students shorts – so he wrote Reconstruction specifically with them in mind.

The other basic members are:

Trivia

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  • His production company is named after the film Alphaville and he is an atheist.[5]
  • Christoffer about Lars Von Trier: "I think there are ten or twenty guys like him, who you just have to look at. He is one of those. I find his position as a very confrontational and controversial man kind of funny. To me he's not controversial figure, he's just a very interesting film maker".[6]

Filmography

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Short films (student works)

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  • Obsession (1999)
  • Virginity (2000)
  • Anxiety (2001)

Feature films

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Other

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  • Kissmeyer Basic (2001 TV series)
  • Visions of Europe (2004, segment "Europe Does Not Exist")

Awards

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Quotes on filmmaking

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  • "I liked movies so much that they became an obsession. I am still trying to kick the habit."[13]
  • "Making it good, which is tougher than one might think. Creating rules and an inner logic in a cinematic world where everything is possible is not easy. Or maybe it is, but it wasn't for me."[14]

References

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  1. ^ Christopher Boe on Love and Personal Identity in "Reconstruction"
  2. ^ John, Ole [in Danish] (2006). At lære kunsten: 40 år med filmskolen (in Danish). Copenhagen, Denmark: Aschehoug. p. 267. ISBN 978-87-11-30048-0. OCLC 466469100. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  3. ^ Hjort, M.; Jørholt, E.; Redvall, E.N. (2010). The Danish Directors 2. The Danish Directors: Dialogues on a Contemporary National Cinema. Intellect. p. 49. ISBN 978-1-84150-271-7. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  4. ^ Everything Will Be Fine To Canne, DFI, by Vicki Synnott[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "Filmmaker Magazine Interview". Archived from the original on 26 February 2009. Retrieved 30 November 2008.
  6. ^ "Christoffer Boe Interview". Archived from the original on 9 January 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2009.
  7. ^ Piil, Morten (2008). Gyldendals danske filmguide (in Danish). Gyldendal. p. 21. ISBN 978-87-02-06669-2. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  8. ^ "Everything Will Be Fine -- Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. 14 October 2010. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  9. ^ DeFore, John (6 September 2013). "Sex, Drugs & Taxation (Spies & Glistrup): Toronto Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 10 September 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  10. ^ "List of awards on IMDB". Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  11. ^ Winners 2015
  12. ^ Danfoss wins Cannes Award
  13. ^ Biography on IMDB
  14. ^ Christoffer Boe: "I liked movies so much that they became an obsession. I am still trying to kick the habit."
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